Hey y’all! Don’t hate us, but Annalisa and I have been pretty slow in uploading posts and keeping you lovely folks filled in with our daily excursions. The two of us got sidetracked with copious amounts of live jazz and brass bands, beignets, and Sam the Snake (we’ll explain later). We promise we’ll be more diligent about this from now on!

On Monday, we moved out of my friend Emily’s place and into our cute and quaint hotel in the French Quarters. As soon as we checked in, Annalisa and I meandered around the Marigny and Quarters. We took a stroll in Washington Square Park, ate a delectable breakfast at Cafe Rose Nicaud, and caught up on the daily New Orleans newspapers for events and deals around the city.

We decided to venture out of the city and pay homage to Oak Alley, a beautiful historic plantation located one hour west of New Orleans. The ride there was therapeutic and relaxing but upon arrival, we got caught in a huge thunderstorm and had to wait under an overhang on a porch for about 20-30 minutes for the rain to pass. By all means, Oak Alley was worth the wait!! Built in 1837, this picaresque plantation is known for its breathtaking view of double row of oak trees that pave the way to the house. Filled with rich history and culture, Oak Alley has even hosted many notable guests such as Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Beyoncé Knowles.

We ended our day with Emily and her friends Molly and Joma and went to Bacchanal in the Bywater for dinner. The food here is to die for! We had the brussels sprout salad with shaved red onions, radish, greens, and sherry vinaigrette; ceviche with drum fish, grape tomatoes, English cucumber, cilantro, and citrus; pequillo peppers with sweet corn, local crabmeat, tobiko, pickled onion, and crema; fried eggplant with pequillo peppers, capers, pine nuts, feta, and herbs; seared scallops with grilled summer squash, marcona almonds, and frisée; and the confit chicken leg with duck fat, shaved carrots, and pickled watermelon rind. Is your mouth watering yet??

So far, New Orleans has been good to us. The food is great, but the people here are even greater. They’re hospitable, kind, and never hesitate to strike up a random conversation with you. They will always wish you “good morning” and “good night.” If you need something, they will drop everything to help you. People down here really know the meaning of winding down and learning to appreciate their surroundings. As someone who rushes to get everything done in a maximized fashion and never stop to talk to people and extend a hand, I could really learn a thing or two from the people of New Orleans.